River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-11-24
FOREST Fires RAGING.
Missouri, Illinois. Arkansas. Texas. Ten
ne'see, Mississippi and Colorado Visited,
and Great Damage Resuits-Fears That
SnInt. Inss of Il liz Has ncctIrrah

Missouri Illinois. Arkansas. Texas, Ten
e.see, Mississippi and Colorado Visited,
and Great Damage Rssuits-Fears That
Some Loss of Life Has Occurred.
ST.. LOUIS, Nov. %. This city is much
exercised over the forest fires. News from
Arkansas Texas. and as far west as Fort
Worth, distance of neiSly 500 miles, indi-
cate no abatement of the fires. In sections
reiGcte from telegraph a Id railway stations
IL is feared that terrible loss of human and
animal lie has occurred
Southwest Missouri timber regions are all
ablaze No fog was ever denser than the
smoke in ST LOWS yesterday and last night
1t was impossible TO distinguish objects
block away. This indicates rapid spread of
the flames in tho back-country woods
Many people here are sick from the effects
OF the smoke, and every body complains OF
eyes becoming sore. The loss to property
in the Southwest, as heard from so far, is
estimated at $500, 600
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Nov % The forest
fires continue in this section, and the dam
age sustained is very serious Several gin
houses ia Crittenden County, Ark, have
been burned; also in the counties of Missis-
sppi which border the river Steamers can
not run, owing 20 the dense smoke which
prevails from Vicksburg, Mss, to a
point 100 miles above Memphis, a total
distance of go miles Fires are burning
everywhere within this territory, ana there
Is no immediate prospect OF rain Travel
by rail is also obstructed from these causes
Several trestles on the Kansas CITY road
have been destroyed, and communication
with St Louis is now made via Forest City,
Ark. Never before in the history OF the
country has there been such wide
spread conE"oTation, and the loss to farm
ers viii be very heavy. Owing TO the Sc
Guided country and the lack of telegraphic
facilities. it viii be several DAYS before the
true condition of affairs is learned from the
cOun Ties in Arkansas west OF Memphis.
Reports come from every quarter OF fires
and the loss that is being sustained The
only escape that's promised Will come from
rain, and in nearly all the churches praye rs
were offered Sunday that showers might
fall and the destruction cease.
NANDAIIA, Ill, Nov. % Reports from
the county show that the heavy wind which
has prevailed for twenty-four hours has
caused the fires in the Okaw bottom To
spre-d rapidly. Every thing that viii ig-
mite is at the mercy of the flames Owing
To the scarcity of water much alarm is felt
by those living in the vicinity OF the fire
The flames are causing incalcuIable damage
to farms
New ORLEANS, Nov. 22.-The city is filed
with smoke and the same conditions are
reported from YazOo City and from many
points in the Mississippi, Yazoo and ITALIA
hatchie valleys, and navigation on the Mis-
sissippi is being impeded Fires along the
Tallahatchie are supposed TO be the cause
Terrible fires are raging on Haney Island
and Kilby Lake and much damage from
forest fires il reported in Southern Arkan-
sas
KIT CARSON, Col, Nov. 22.-During a high
wind Saturday afternoon fire started on
the line OF the Colorado extension of the
NJ ssouri Pacific railroad, and, famed by the
strong breeze, spread rapidly, destroying
everything in it's path At the latest &C
counts a stretch Of country ten miles wide
and twenty miles long, embracing over 1875
d10 acres was nothing but blGckened
waste. Many large haystacks. containing
hundreds OF tons OF winter feed for cattle
and horses, were burned, leaving nothing
for the scattered and now impoverished
ranchmen for the winter No estimate has
been made of the losses, which will be
heavy, and be severely felt during the win
ter.
ANNA, Ill, Nov. % The forest fires are
still spreading, having been helped along
by the h gh wind of Saturday and Sunday
! aud by the dryness of every thing. No ram
has fallen here since June l. Ya!u-
able forests in the Mississ ppi bottoms
are burning and are threatened with total
destruction Houses and barns have
been destroyed, and farmers throughout all
this region are turning out to fight fire
Dongola, a town in this county, nine miles
south of Anna, is surrounded by fires and is
in great danger. Trains on the Illinois Cen
trail and Mobile & Ohio railroads are delayed
by burned bridges, ties and telegraph poles